Action PacketFast Facts Action Tips and Featured Organizations

A quick guide to help you learn share and take action on behalf of women worldwide

wwwhalftheskymovementorg

bull One woman dies every two minutes from pregnancy-related causes

bull 99 percent of all maternal deaths occur in the developing world

bull The US ratio of maternal deaths is higher than 40 other countries despite spending more per capita on maternal care than any other country

bull More than 1 million children a year are left motherless due to maternal mortality

bull 135 million girls living today have undergone female genital mutilation greatly increasing their risk of maternal mortality

Fast FactsMaternal Mortality

bull One in five women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime

bull In the US a woman is abused every 15 seconds and is raped every 90 seconds

bull 102 countries have no specific legal provisions against domestic violence and in at least 53 countries marital rape is not a prosecutable offense

bull 60 million girls are missing due to selective abortion of female fetuses and the mistreatment and neglect of female children

Gender-Based Violence

Sex Trafficking and Forced Prostitutionbull Estimates for children in sexual slavery range from 300000 to as high as 12 million

bull The typical age of entry into the sex trade is 13 or 14 years old

bull 51 million girls have been married before the age of consent

bull Trafficking yields $9 billion in the US and generates $278 billion in profits worldwide each year

bull Some studies suggest that there are as many as 27 million modern slaves mdash more than at any point in history mdash and 56 percent are women

bull Two-thirds of the 781 million illiterate adults in the developing world are women

bull Nearly one out of every five girls who enrolls in primary school does not complete her primary education in the developing world

bull 75 percent of un-enrolled girls are from ethnic minorities or very poor families despite being only 20 percent of the population

bull A child born to a literate woman is 50 percent more likely to survive past the age of 5

bull Young womenrsquos earnings will be 10 to 20 percent higher for each additional year in school

Educating Women and Girls

bull 70 percent of the worldrsquos poor are women and girls

bull Women earn less than 10 percent of the worldrsquos wages but work more than two-thirds of the worldrsquos working hours

bull Women reinvest approximately 90 percent of their income in their families

bull In sub-Saharan Africa women own less than 2 percent of the land but produce 90 percent of the food

bull If womenrsquos paid employment rates increased to the level of menrsquos US GDP would rise 9 percent

Economic Empowerment

1 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

TAKE ACTIONFive things you can do in the next 10 minutes

Follow Half the Sky Movement on Twitter Facebook Tumblr Pinterest Google+ and YouTube Sign up on wwwhalftheskymovementorg get updates on the movement Some other great email lists to join for important updates on these issues are wwwwomensenewsorg wwwworldpulsecom and wwwthewipnet

Start reading Half the Sky Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn if you havenrsquot already The book includes many additional stories insights and suggestions for action It should be available in your local library and bookstore and at wwwhalftheskymovementorg

Become a Microlender Join the Kiva Half the Sky Movement group and you can make a loan for as little as $25 to a woman entrepreneur in the developing world to improve her family and community (kivaorgteamempowering_women)

Or check out other microfinance opportunities Womenrsquos World Banking Changeorg Global Giving or Catapult

Sign up with the CARE Action Network at wwwcancareorg or the ONE Campaign at wwwoneorg This will assist you in speaking out educating policy makers and underscoring that the public wants action against poverty and injustice This kind of citizen advocacy is essential to create change

Become an advocate for global women and girls Find a US National Committee for UN Women Chapter (wwwunwomen-usncorg) or Women of Vision Chapter (wwwworldvisionorgcontentnsfgetinvolvedwov-join-a-chapter) in your area and sign on

2 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

bull One woman dies every two minutes from pregnancy-related causes

bull 99 percent of all maternal deaths occur in the developing world

bull The US ratio of maternal deaths is higher than 40 other countries despite spending more per capita on maternal care than any other country

bull More than 1 million children a year are left motherless due to maternal mortality

bull 135 million girls living today have undergone female genital mutilation greatly increasing their risk of maternal mortality

Fast FactsMaternal Mortality

bull One in five women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime

bull In the US a woman is abused every 15 seconds and is raped every 90 seconds

bull 102 countries have no specific legal provisions against domestic violence and in at least 53 countries marital rape is not a prosecutable offense

bull 60 million girls are missing due to selective abortion of female fetuses and the mistreatment and neglect of female children

Gender-Based Violence

Sex Trafficking and Forced Prostitutionbull Estimates for children in sexual slavery range from 300000 to as high as 12 million

bull The typical age of entry into the sex trade is 13 or 14 years old

bull 51 million girls have been married before the age of consent

bull Trafficking yields $9 billion in the US and generates $278 billion in profits worldwide each year

bull Some studies suggest that there are as many as 27 million modern slaves mdash more than at any point in history mdash and 56 percent are women

bull Two-thirds of the 781 million illiterate adults in the developing world are women

bull Nearly one out of every five girls who enrolls in primary school does not complete her primary education in the developing world

bull 75 percent of un-enrolled girls are from ethnic minorities or very poor families despite being only 20 percent of the population

bull A child born to a literate woman is 50 percent more likely to survive past the age of 5

bull Young womenrsquos earnings will be 10 to 20 percent higher for each additional year in school

Educating Women and Girls

bull 70 percent of the worldrsquos poor are women and girls

bull Women earn less than 10 percent of the worldrsquos wages but work more than two-thirds of the worldrsquos working hours

bull Women reinvest approximately 90 percent of their income in their families

bull In sub-Saharan Africa women own less than 2 percent of the land but produce 90 percent of the food

bull If womenrsquos paid employment rates increased to the level of menrsquos US GDP would rise 9 percent

Economic Empowerment

1 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

TAKE ACTIONFive things you can do in the next 10 minutes

Follow Half the Sky Movement on Twitter Facebook Tumblr Pinterest Google+ and YouTube Sign up on wwwhalftheskymovementorg get updates on the movement Some other great email lists to join for important updates on these issues are wwwwomensenewsorg wwwworldpulsecom and wwwthewipnet

Start reading Half the Sky Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn if you havenrsquot already The book includes many additional stories insights and suggestions for action It should be available in your local library and bookstore and at wwwhalftheskymovementorg

Become a Microlender Join the Kiva Half the Sky Movement group and you can make a loan for as little as $25 to a woman entrepreneur in the developing world to improve her family and community (kivaorgteamempowering_women)

Or check out other microfinance opportunities Womenrsquos World Banking Changeorg Global Giving or Catapult

Sign up with the CARE Action Network at wwwcancareorg or the ONE Campaign at wwwoneorg This will assist you in speaking out educating policy makers and underscoring that the public wants action against poverty and injustice This kind of citizen advocacy is essential to create change

Become an advocate for global women and girls Find a US National Committee for UN Women Chapter (wwwunwomen-usncorg) or Women of Vision Chapter (wwwworldvisionorgcontentnsfgetinvolvedwov-join-a-chapter) in your area and sign on

2 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

TAKE ACTIONFive things you can do in the next 10 minutes

Follow Half the Sky Movement on Twitter Facebook Tumblr Pinterest Google+ and YouTube Sign up on wwwhalftheskymovementorg get updates on the movement Some other great email lists to join for important updates on these issues are wwwwomensenewsorg wwwworldpulsecom and wwwthewipnet

Start reading Half the Sky Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn if you havenrsquot already The book includes many additional stories insights and suggestions for action It should be available in your local library and bookstore and at wwwhalftheskymovementorg

Become a Microlender Join the Kiva Half the Sky Movement group and you can make a loan for as little as $25 to a woman entrepreneur in the developing world to improve her family and community (kivaorgteamempowering_women)

Or check out other microfinance opportunities Womenrsquos World Banking Changeorg Global Giving or Catapult

Sign up with the CARE Action Network at wwwcancareorg or the ONE Campaign at wwwoneorg This will assist you in speaking out educating policy makers and underscoring that the public wants action against poverty and injustice This kind of citizen advocacy is essential to create change

Become an advocate for global women and girls Find a US National Committee for UN Women Chapter (wwwunwomen-usncorg) or Women of Vision Chapter (wwwworldvisionorgcontentnsfgetinvolvedwov-join-a-chapter) in your area and sign on

2 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

Play the Facebook game and encourage your friends to do the same Half the Sky Movement The Game will launch on November 13 2012 By playing the game yoursquoll help send funds to featured charities in need of your support

Join or create a Dining for Women chapter to engage your local community of women on international womenrsquos rights issues

Find out more here wwwdiningforwomenorg

Have more than 10 minutes Here are some more ways to take action

Find a local organization that combats human trafficking or sex trafficking and volunteer your time Check out this state-by-state directory by Polaris Project wwwpolarisprojectorgstate-map

Be a journalist Use the Fast Facts and our Facebook and Twitter feeds to learn more and follow the news on womenrsquos rights Then write an op-ed blog or social media post and share with your friends and online community

Host a screening Inspire your friends co-workers and community Sign up at wwwhalftheskymovementorghost-a-screening and wersquoll send you a discussion guide and screening poster

3 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

Volunteer globally or locally Half the Sky Movement will be featuring volunteer opportunities at organizations doing great work in the field Visit our website at wwwhalftheskymovementorgact to learn more

Help pay for a girlrsquos education for one year Through organizations like Camfed Room to Read and Blink Now you can fund a girlrsquos year in school and other education projects

Get Creative

Support people and projects inspired by the Half the Sky Movement featured on our blog (wwwhalftheskymovementorgblog) Read about people like Belle Staurowsky who started teaching karate to at-risk girls in India and the high school seniors Anna Cate and Caroline who are trying to raise $300000 for a safe house for vulnerable girls in Adama Ethiopia

Do what you do best for women around the world Are you a runner a policy wonk a performer a teacher Channel your skills and passions into helping women around the world in whatever way you think you can

Read our blog and get inspired (wwwhalftheskymovementorgblog)

Tell us what yoursquore up to and how yoursquove been inspired by the Half the Sky Movement to support women and girls around the world Wersquoll share your story across our social media platforms and bring you supporters

wwwhalftheskymovementorgshare-your-story

Donate your old cell phone through Hope Phones an organization that helps health workers save lives in developing countries Better yet organize a drive for old cellphones in your local community and donate many phones to Hope Phones

Find out more here wwwhopephonesorg

Travel to learn about international womenrsquos rights Go on a study tour with American Jewish World Service (AJWS) an organization dedicated to alleviating poverty and hunger and meet women activists demanding a voice in their countriesrsquo development Upcoming trips are scheduled for Cambodia and Nicaragua Or travel with Opportunity International to see how microfinance loans and financial training can transform communities Upcoming trips in Rwanda Uganda and Dominican Republic

4 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

Buy for Good

Buy the Change USA sells goods created by women in the developing world who are victims of sex trafficking gender-based violence and deep poverty Their mission is to encourage consumers to buy goods that support undervalued women

wwwbuythechangeusaorg

Umoja Womenrsquos Shop sells traditional glass-beaded jewelry made by women from Umoja Kenya who have escaped abusive lives in favor of a violence-free community in Umoja All the color combinations are preserved from their ceremonial jewelry

wwwumojawomennet

Also check out

punjammiescom globalgoodspartnersorg beadsforlifestoreorg warinternationalcom sistaducom everylittlegirlcom feedprojects

com empowermentstoreorg and storemadebysurvivorscom

Dot-to-Dot sells childrenrsquos books that feature strong girls from a variety of struggling communities The publishers aim to educate children early on about issues of international development and the power of young girls to make a difference

wwwdot-to-dot-booksorg

5 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

The 32 organizations listed here are Half the Sky Turning Oppression to Opportunity for Women Worldwide partners Find these and many other great organizations that Nicholas and Sheryl have found at wwwhalftheskymovementorgpartners

Some organizations doing wonderful work for women and girls worldwide

bull Acumen FundwwwacumenfundorgAcumen Fundrsquos mission is to create a world beyond poverty by investing in social enterprises emerging leaders and breakthrough ideas

bull Afghan Institute of Learning

AIL plays a major role by creating or reconstructing education and health systems capable of reaching the women and children of Afghanistan whether in refugee camps or in their homeland

wwwafghaninstituteoflearningorg

bull American Jewish World Service

Inspired by Judaismrsquos commitment to justice American Jewish World Service works to realize human rights and end poverty in the developing world

wwwajwsorg

bull Apne Aap

Apne Aap organizes small groups of women and girls at risk or affected by trafficking into self-empowerment groups across India to access three fundamental rights ndash education dignified livelihood and legal empowerment

wwwapneaaporg

bull BRAC

BRAC a global development organization based in Bangladesh is a worldwide leader in creating opportunities for the poor to lift themselves out of poverty

wwwbracorg

bull Camfed

Camfed educates girls in some of the poorest areas of rural Africa and invests in economic and leadership opportunities for them

wwwcamfedorg

bull CARE

CARE is a leader humanitarian organization fighting global poverty Women are at the heart of CARErsquos community-based efforts to improve basic education health and economic opportunity

wwwcareorg

6 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

bullEdna Adan Maternity Hospital

bullEvery Mother Counts

bullFistula Foundation

bullFonkoze

bullFutures Without Violence

bullGEMS

bullGrameen Foundation

bullHeifer International

bullInternational Justice Mission

The maternity hospital was built by Edna Adan Ismail in order to address the grave health problems that endanger the lives of women and children of Somaliland

Every Mother Counts is an advocacy and mobilization campaign to increase education and support for maternal mortality reduction globally

Fistula Foundation fights to end the suffering caused by childbirth injury obstetric fistula They believe no woman should suffer a life of pain and isolation simply for trying to bring a child into the world

Fonkoze is Haitirsquos largest microfinance institution and indeed one of the best known MFIs worldwide for its innovative approaches to reaching the most disadvantaged women and helping them take the first steps out of poverty

FWV has developed ground-breaking education programs policy reform leadership training and public actions designed to end violence against women and children around the world

GEMS is the only organization in New York State specifically designed to serve girls and young women who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking

Grameen Foundation helps empower the worldrsquos poorest especially women by providing them with access to financial services such as microsavings and loans life-changing information about agriculture and health and unique small-business opportunities

With gifts of livestock and training Heifer International works with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth

IJM is a human rights agency that brings rescue to victims of slavery sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression throughout Asia Africa and Latin America

wwwednahospitalorg

wwweverymothercountsorg

wwwfistulafoundationorg

wwwfonkozeorg

wwwfutureswithoutviolenceorg

wwwgems-girlsorg

wwwgrameenfoundationorg

wwwheiferorg

wwwijmorg

7 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

bullInternational Rescue Committee

bullJamii Bora

bullKashf

bullNew Light Foundation

The International Rescue committee responds to the worldrsquos worst humanitarian crises offering lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to help vulnerable families survive and rebuild their lives

Jamii Bora Trust was established in 1999 at the initiative of 50 poor families in Nairobi Its mission is to assist its members to get out of poverty and build a better life for their families

Kashf works to holistically transform the lives of low income households especially women by providing quality and cost effective micro-finance services accompanied by a suite of ancillary services

Since 2000 New Light has been providing safe shelter education and recreational facilities for the children of local sex workers particularly the daughters

wwwircorg

wwwjamiiboraorg

wwwkashforg

wwwnewlightindiaorg

bullOpportunity International

bullPathfinder International

bullPopulation Council

bullRoom to Read

Opportunity International provides more than four million people ndash mostly women ndash with the financial services they need to unlock their potential and create better lives for themselves their families and their communities

For more than 55 years Pathfinder International has delivered vital sexual and reproductive health services that ensure choice and expand opportunities for women men and young people in developing countries

Population Council conducts biomedical social science and public health research and disseminate evidence to create policies programs and technologies that improve lives around the world

Room to Read seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education

wwwopportunityorg

wwwpathfindorg

wwwpopcouncilorg

wwwroomtoreadorg

8 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

bullShining Hope for Communities

bullTostan

bullUmoja Womenrsquos Village

bullWomen for Women International

bullWorld Vision

bullWomenrsquos World Banking

Shining Hope for Communities links free schools for girls to holistic community centers that provide residents with the most essential services in Nairobirsquos Kibera slum

Tostan empowers African communities to bring about sustainable development and positive social transformation based on respect for human rights

Umoja is a women-only village founded with the mission to improve the livelihood of its members and the Samburu community through education and poverty alleviation

Women for Women International supports women in war-torn regions with financial and emotional aid job-skills training rights education and small business assistance so they can rebuild their lives

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice

Womenrsquos World Banking expands the economic assets participation and power of low-income women and their households by helping them access financial services knowledge and markets

wwwshininghopeforcommunitiesorg

wwwtostanorg

wwwumojawomenorg

wwwwomenforwomenorg

wwwworldvisionorg

wwwswwborg

9 wwwhalftheskymovementorg

bullSave the Children

Save the Children is an independent organization creating lasting change in the lives of children in need in the United States and around the world

wwwsavethechildrenorg

Half the Sky Movement FundersThe Ikea Foundation USAID The Ford Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Coca-Cola Company Vagisil The MacArthur Foundation The Nduna Foundation Goldman Sachs 10000 Women The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Seedlings Foundation The Nike Foundation The NoVo Foundation FHI360 The Hanami Fund National Endowment for the Arts The Sutherland Foundation Applegate Farms Ina Brown Bond and Fran Hauser